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Bernard Clement Whitaker
July 31, 1916 to March 10, 2005

Growing up

Bernard was born in Schenectady, New York on July 31, 1916.  His father, Paul Archibald Whitaker, was a streetcar conductor.  His mother, Ethel Mae (Townsend) Whitaker, worked for the Wallace Company.  He had a brother, Charles (Chuck) who was 2 years older than he.  Bernard remembered the two-family house on Emmett Street where they lived.

When Bernard was 12 years old, his dad died.  He never spoke much about his dad, so we know very little about him.

Bernard attended Nott Terrace High School for one year, and then Mont Pleasant High School, the brand new school.  While Bernard was at Mont Pleasant, his brother was still at Nott Terrace.  Chuck played basketball.  Bernie remembers that at the annual Nott Terrace vs. Mont Pleasant basketball game, he had to quietly cheer for Nott Terrace, at times.  Chuck played well.  Nott Terrace won the game 16-15.  Bernard comment to me about how low this score was compared to basketball game scores today.

In later years, after David and I were married, Bernard met Aunt Rose.  They went through her yearbook together and discovered that they knew a few of the same people.  The two of them had a high old time together that day!

CCC Camp

During the Depression, Bernard left school to join the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp).  He was stationed in Boston Corners.  His group's job was to inspect trees and rout out the insects.  The Captain took a liking to Bernie and he became the Captain's valet.  Bernie liked that job a lot better.  The boys were paid $30 (a month, I believe).  He sent $25 home to his mom and kept $5.

After he finished high school, Chuck joined the CCC , too.  He was stationed far from home, in the state of Washington.  Chuck met his wife, Irene, and made his life in that state.  Bernie and Chuck were separated for the rest of their lives.  Their mother made the Greyhound bus trip out to Washington on several occasions, but Bernard never did.  Chuck had a heart attack and died young (in his forties). 

While Bernard was in Boston Corners, he used to go home with his friend, Harry Murphy,  Harry had a sister Ida.  Bernard took a shine to Ida.  Before long, he was hopping on his bicycle to go visit Ida on his own.  Before long, he popped the question.

Marriage and Family

Bernard and Ida were married on October 23, 1937.  They were married quietly that day by the minister of a local church with no guests present.  They lived in Schenectady for a short time.  Soon Bernard found work on a farm in Blue Stores, near Germantown, N.Y.  He would work for Frank Fingar on that apple farm and live in a modest apartment above the barn where the fruit was sorted until 1971, when Mr. Fingar sold the farm. In 1939, Ida and Bernard welcomed their first child, David.  It was during the Depression and Ida's father, Harry,Sr. (Pa), and her brother Harry, who was now an invalid due to a diving accident, lived with them.  Bernard was the sole supporter of that family.  David grew up with Pa (who died when he was 8 years old) and Uncle Harry (who lived with them until he was 12 years old). In 1954, a second son was born to Ida and Bernard.  Richard Paul was born prematurely, lived for a short time in an isolette, and shortly before he was supposed to come home, he died.  This was a hard time for the whole family. Recently, when Bernard moved in with us, he found a tiny little baby bonnet among Ida's belongings.  He thought it was probably Richard's baptismal bonnet. Bernard and Ida lived their whole life in the hamlet of Blue Stores, in the Town of Livingston in New York State.  They belonged to Saint John's Lutheran Church in Manorton, where they were active parishioners.  They were also active in the Grange, in the years when the Grange was an integral part of the social life of rural communities.

A lot of changes in their Fifties

His son, David was married, and they welcomed two granddaughters who brought a lot of joy to Grandpa!

In 1971, when Frank Fingar sold his farm, he gave Bernard an acre of land on the corner of his property.  Bernard and Ida, who were in their fifties, would now own their own home, a brand-new, two bedroom mobile home with a "tip out" for more room in the living room.  They lived in that home until 1998, when they ventured to California with David and Barbara.

It was also in 1971, that Bernard went to work as a school custodian in  the Germantown School District.  He worked primarily in the cafeteria.  He stayed there until he retired at age 62.  Farm workers don't get Social Security or any fringe benefits.  The ten years that Bernard worked for the school district provided him with a small Social Security check, a little pension, and health insurance, all of which made a more comfortable retirement for him and Ida.

California here we come

By 1998, both grandchildren were living in San Diego, CA.  David was retired.  He and Barbara wanted to move there, too.  Bernard was 81 years old at the time.  He and Ida agreed to go, too.  Neither of them had been out of New York State, had seen an ocean, or had been on a plane.  It was a major change in their lives.  They lived independently in an senior apartment in St James Plaza in Imperial Beach, CA.  As they aged, and needed more support, David was there for them. 

In May, 2004, Ida had a stroke which left her with considerable dementia.  Caring for her in her own home was no longer possible.  Bernard turned 88 at the end of July.  Ida went into a nursing home in August, 2004 and Bernard moved in with David and Barbara.  In March, he contracted pneumonia and he died on March 10, 2005 with both David and Barbara at his hospital bedside. 

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